Membership

Imagine having an additional 30,000 staff members to help you examine and resolve problems and advanced processes. APWA membership brings you this and more. For over 75 years APWA's goal has been to promote professional excellence and public works awareness through education, advocacy and the exchange of knowledge. Your membership and participation help attain that goal. For those in Canada, membership is for both APWA and CPWA.

APWA membership gives you the opportunity to:

Tap into a network of thousands of public works experts from the U.S. and internationally to share on-the job experiences, to request information on public works issues, discuss local and national topics of concern, to work together to improve processes and to discover new job possibilities. By networking with other public works practitioners, APWA members receive valuable and useful information for their immediate informational needs in every facet of public works including emergency management, right-of-way issues, solid waste disposal, waste water treatment, snow and ice removal, operations issues and more. Get support from your peers. Meet the new faces entering the profession. Get sound professional advice from those who deal with the same challenges as you do. Want more info? Check out infoNOW, chapters and branches, the Sustainability blog, and other social networking sites, and the "Education & Events" section of this website.

By advancing your skills through professional training, you improve your performance and your value to your employer. APWA offers a variety of unique educational programs and self-study materials covering the many aspects of public works. You can choose programs by topic or by your preferred educational medium. APWA's educational opportunities include 2-4 day instructor-led workshops, live online programs, pre-recorded programs which can be viewed as fits your schedule, and a selection of publications. Many of these educational programs are available in the APWA Store or are free to members in the online Members' Library. To review the variety of topics covered, visit the Resource Center section of this website. Most APWA-sponsored programs provide the opportunity to earn your Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and a record of your personal CEU/PDH history is maintained in the APWA database. Professional certification is also available in a selection of public works aspects. Graduate degree programs are also available.

APWA continues to be a leading advocate promoting the interests of the public works community at all levels of government (local, state and federal). Visit the "Government Affairs" section of this website to stay up-to-date on legislative and regulatory changes and get information on key contacts at your local, state, federal and provincial levels. There's also tips and tools to assist with outreach to your customers and developing relationships with your community.

Improving the delivery of public works services is a major goal for APWA and its Accreditation program is an advanced process designed to enhance the effectiveness of agencies and their competencies in the areas of public works. Accreditation and self-assessment demonstrates an agency's commitment to continuous improvement in the delivery of public works operations and services to the community.

Visibility is key to marketing a company's products and services. With corporate group membership in APWA you have the opportunity to network at the local and national level. Some local chapters hold annual conferences offering opportunities to display and/or discuss your products and services. Both annual national events--PWX (formerly known as International Public Works Congress & Exposition) and the North American Snow Conference--offer opportunities to expose your products and services to a public works professionals from the US, Canada, and abroad. Corporate group members also receive complimentary listing in the printed "Corporate Member Directory of Products and Services" in the April issue of the APWA Reporter magazine, and complimentary listing in the online "Public Works Buyer's Guide". Both the printed Directory and the online Buyer's Guide offer listings sorted by company name and by product or service provided. Looking for ways to distribute your information to specific groups of public works professionals? Then you may find rentals of the APWA mailing list a helpful tool.

APWA offers professional development opportunities via online, face-to-face, and on-demand programs. As well as Pblic Works Insitutes and graduate studies progrms. And APWA offers IACET CEUs for all of its national events, Click, Listen, & Learn webcasts, and for pre-approved chapter events. And, members get reduced pricing on most APWA publications, videos, training manuals, conference registrations, exhibits, and both national and local training courses PLUS free registrations to live Click, Listen and Learn programs and free unlimited access to over 300 pre-recorded educational programs via the Members' Library. Members also save time and money by using our infoNOW communities to share information or instantly get insight on a public works issue.